Best Cloud Storage for Collaboration 2017

Using cloud services for collaboration provides a way for businesses, both large and small, to work across borders, time zones and projects. To facilitate swift, easy and useful collaboration across the web, we’ve gathered the top five cloud storage services for collaboration.

Just about every business needs cloud storage to aid their online activities, but some companies still don’t see just how well online collaboration increases efficiency and enhances bottom line profits, too.

Since people get inundated with data, documents and files. More so than ever before in human history, managing all that information can be hard work. In the past, information wasn’t easily shareable, and teams resorted to archaic measures to share their input on projects.

However, as big data has shown us, we are becoming ever more dependent on information. So let’s take a closer look at the benefits collaboration provides to an organization, before getting into our top five countdown.

The Benefits of Collaboration Using Cloud Storage

Businesses can drastically improve their bottom line by taking advantage of cloud storage and collaboration services. As the data we digest on a daily basis increases, so too does our need for effective collaboration options.

The days of faxes are all but extinct, and organizations just can’t afford to dole out large sums of money to manage in-house storage servers. Fortunately, cloud services have dropped considerably in price, so nowadays it’s usually more cost effective to use an existing cloud storage and collaboration service.

By taking advantage of the cloud’s collaborative features businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes can increase their productivity and effectiveness, by sharing critical data with internal employees, external partners and key stakeholders.

Some of the services listed below allow for electronic signatures, so users don’t need to print paper and mail them to each other.

Autotask Workplace

Autotask Workplace provides a complete package that allows organizations to securely transfer and backup files, sync to an unlimited number of devices, and share files.

Autotask Workplace is our first pick because it helps teams collaborate in real time, using an integrated editor, document viewer, and annotation tools, without the need for a VPN or FTP client.

In addition to encryption during both transportation and storage, administrators can manage separate users into functional groups, to apply for group access permissions. Furthermore, they even have an auditing system that tracks user activity.

Other Reasons Why We Like Autotask Workplace

One reason Autotask Workplace is well-suited for businesses is that it integrates with standard I.T. tools and protocols such as Active Directory, SSO, Salesforce, SAML 2.0, Outlook, Google Docs and Office 365.

In addition to their rich collaboration features, they also offer stringent security controls, and they are compliant with regulations, such as HIPAA.

Cons

Egnyte

Egnyte's mobility suite of software allows users to view, access, edit, and share files from any mobile device securely, even without the need for a VPN tunnel. Of particular note are their security features, which encrypt data during transit as well as during storage.

However, they also include a permission system that’s rich in features. Administrators can not only set individual user and group access permissions, but the auditing system even allows them to see each and every file operation, complete with timestamps.

Pros

Cons

Smallest package is for 5 users

5GB file-size limitation on syncing

Not appropriate for individual users

Box

In addition to customer-managed encryption (zero-knowledge security), Box also sports stringent security tools for administrators, that allows them to bar access to files using a permission-based system.

They’re one of the best choices for businesses who need strong security to comply with regulations such as HIPAA, among many others. The Starter version is only $5.00 per month per user, the Business package is $15.00 per month, per user.

Other Reasons Why We Like Box

Box is one of the best cloud storage services for documents, because of its strong security mechanisms and great collaboration tools.

Box has features that integrate with Google Docs, and allow custom branding of the interface with logos, messaging system and the company’s URL.

Cons

Citrix ShareFile

In addition to syncing and raw cloud storage, Citrix ShareFile sports useful collaboration tools that let users check-in/checkout files to avoid overwrite problems. Another perk of their service that makes them great for businesses, with large files, is their electronic signature feature.

RightSignature allows customers to sign documents in the cloud, therefore avoiding the tedium of sharing physical document copies. But it’s not all good news, users will be encumbered by a file size-limit, even if it’s a rather large one.

ShareFile caps uploads and downloads of individual files at 10GB.

Other Reasons Why We Like Citrix ShareFile

ShareFile is owned and operated by Citrix, who have long been providers of enterprise-class software. They also provide security via activity reports, download alerts, single sign-on, two-factor authentication and an auditing system.

ShareFile protects customer data with AES-256 encryption and SSL/TLS protocols, and have disaster recovery centers across the US and Europe.

Cons

Dropbox for Business

As we would expect, Dropbox for Business has great security mechanisms in place, such as password protected links and a variety of tools, designed to manage groups of employees.

Dropbox for Business claims to be implemented in over 150,000 organizations around the world, and they include a secure, well-rounded service, with good collaborative features. The business version of Dropbox is basically a pumped-up version of the basic service, and it comes with unlimited storage and unlimited file recovery (the standard limit is 30 days).

Other Reasons Why We Like Dropbox for Business

Administrators have the power to limit which data users can and can’t access, to prevent security breaches.

Dropbox team feature

However, the services includes key collaborative benefits, such as integration with Office 365, for easy cloud-based document editing. Last but not least, they start at only $15.00 per user, per month, with a five user package.

Cons

Conclusion

Our society has become so data driven and dependent upon technology, that collaboration services are becoming a necessity in the modern workforce. Without cloud storage and collaboration services, an organization’s employees are forced to take more time than needed, to complete simple tasks.

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on new releases and more.

However, these five best cloud storage for collaboration services will help organizations save time and money while increasing productivity through their collaborative features. Do you have any thoughts to share on the subject? Feel free to express them in the comments section below.